Parliamentary questions

Social Welfare Benefits

Seán Canney

373. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Social Protection what percentage of people on partial capacity benefit are in receipt of the benefit at 25%, 50%, 75% and 100%, respectively; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2351/24]

Disability Services

Seán Canney

524. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he is aware of the lack of services available in the CDNT7 area in 2024 due to the shortage of staff and specialists; to provide a schedule of the staff in place and a schedule of the staff levels required to run the level properly; when the full complement of staff will be in place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2703/24]

Visa Agreements

Seán Canney

256. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Justice if Colombian citizens can visit Ireland without a visa; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2255/24]

Departmental Schemes

Seán Canney

63. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if the solar PV scheme for schools will be amended to include free-standing solar structures as well as roof-top structures, given many schools could benefit from a dual-function structure as part of their solar PV deployment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56341/23]

Departmental Schemes

Seán Canney

67. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will extend the schools PV solar panel support scheme to include panels installed on secondary structures where the existing roof is not suitable to take panels; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56525/23]

Tax Code

Seán Canney

309. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Finance if he will amend the rules regarding the imposition of the residential zoned land tax on land used for active farming; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56438/23]

School Accommodation

Seán Canney

516. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Education if her Department will provide funding for additional accommodation at a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56878/23]

Schools Building Projects

Seán Canney

532. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Education for an update on the development of a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57170/23]

School Funding

Seán Canney

676. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Education if she accepts that the STEM funding for schools was not allocated according to published specific criteria, and that the use of a lottery system was disrespectful to schools that made a serious application; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1736/24]

School Staff

Seán Canney

683. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Education further to Parliamentary Question No. 194 of 7 December 2023, when arrears in pay will be made to secretaries who are now retired, given payment has not issued; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1929/24]

Broadcasting Sector

Seán Canney

695. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if she will ensure that the two funding schemes to support local radio stations will be in place in early 2023 to ensure local radio stations can prepare to implement the local democracy reporting scheme and the court reporting scheme in a timely fashion; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56557/23]

Departmental Schemes

Seán Canney

741. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when the review of the housing adaptation grants, housing aid for older people grants and mobility aids grants will be complete; if the income thresholds will be increased; if the level of funding for works will be increased; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56506/23]

Social Welfare Appeals

Seán Canney

860. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Social Protection if an appeal by a person (details supplied) will be supported. [56435/23]

Social Welfare Eligibility

Seán Canney

903. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason persons who were born before 1 September 1946 cannot avail of home caring periods in terms of their pension; if she believes that this is discriminatory on the grounds of age; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57122/23]

Agriculture Schemes

Seán Canney

1169. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if it is mandatory for organic farmers to register with organisations (details supplied) in order to qualify for grant payments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56437/23]

Agriculture Schemes

Seán Canney

1194. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will consider issuing an interim payment to farmers who have qualified for ACRES in light of the delays with the overall payments to help alleviate the financial burden on farmers at this time of the year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56524/23]

Beef Sector

Seán Canney

1221. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will introduce a compensation package for farmers whose animals have been devalued as a consequence of the change in star ratings as introduced by an organisation (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56954/23]

Beef Sector

Seán Canney

1222. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will suspend the introduction of the changes introduced by an organisation (details supplied) to star ratings to allow for a full evaluation of the losses that some farmers will endure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56955/23]

Agriculture Schemes

Seán Canney

1224. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will review the list of eligible measures under TAMS to include new agtech equipment and innovations which can improve animal health and welfare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56980/23]

Disability Services

Seán Canney

1319. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to support a matter (details supplied). [56433/23]

Disability Services

Seán Canney

1320. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to support a matter (details supplied). [56434/23]

Departmental Schemes

Seán Canney

1747. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Health if a person on the drugs payment scheme gets two sets of 28-day medication in the one calendar month, if they are obliged to the pay the €80 a second time; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1662/24]

Disability Services

Seán Canney

72. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he is aware of the lack of services available in children's disability network team, CDNT, 7 area due to the shortage of staff and specialists; to provide a schedule of the staff in place and a schedule of the staff levels required to run the level properly; when the full complement of staff will be in place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54562/23]

Mother and Baby Homes

Seán Canney

76. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will consider extending the DNA testing to family members who are cousins to identify remains at the mother and baby home in Tuam as a result of advancements in the science of DNA testing since the Bill was enacted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54569/23]

Mother and Baby Homes

Seán Canney

81. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his Department will allow for the redress scheme for survivors of mother and baby homes to be extended to include survivors who spent less time in a home than the current threshold of six months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54568/23]

Childcare Services

Seán Canney

112. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he is aware that the reporting mechanism being requested by his Department from childcare providers is not workable and is creating unnecessary paperwork and cost; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54570/23]

International Protection

Seán Canney

130. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of Ukrainian refugees who are now in the State; the projected number of refugees from Ukraine expected to come to the State over the next 12 months; the plans that are in place to deal with the additional people; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54571/23]

International Protection

Seán Canney

131. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the plans that are in place to provide accommodation for asylum seekers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54572/23]

International Protection

Seán Canney

385. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Justice the number of asylum seekers who are now in the State; the projected number of asylum seekers expected to come to the State over the next 12 months [54572/23]

Public Sector Pensions

Seán Canney

78. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform if he intends to continue the long-standing and well-established pay-pension parity link which retired gardaí share with serving colleagues in An Garda Síochána (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55752/23]

Agriculture Industry

Seán Canney

598. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine what supports are available to co-operative marts which have to upgrade infrastructure to meet health and safety standards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54462/23]

Agriculture Schemes

Seán Canney

601. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he would reconsider the treatment of established woodland under the ACRES scheme, as currently farmers who have extensive parts of their land under established woodland are not getting sufficient benefit for this environmental benefit from the ACRES scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54589/23]

Agriculture Schemes

Seán Canney

602. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will consider establishing a scheme to maintain woodland due to the environmental benefits which will accrue, while recognising that this is a long-term project with no financial return for an individual landowner; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54590/23]

Agriculture Schemes

Seán Canney

610. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if late applications will be accepted to the unharvested crop scheme in exceptional force majeure circumstances as a number of farmers who have suffered significant losses lost out on applying for the scheme due to the short duration during which applications were open and this has taken a significant toll on their physical, mental and financial health; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54742/23]

Dental Services

Seán Canney

730. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Health if the dispute between his Department and dentists has been resolved in order to allow persons with medical cards to access free dental care; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54486/23]

School Staff

Seán Canney

194. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Education when arrears in school secretaries pay will be paid to people who are now retired; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54259/23]

School Accommodation

Seán Canney

199. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Education the status of the approval process for additional school accommodation and toilets which is awaiting financial review to allow the works to proceed at a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54305/23]

Mother and Baby Homes

Seán Canney

293. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if the necessary resources can be made available to survivors of mother and baby homes to trace their records; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54253/23]

Education Schemes

Seán Canney

72. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Education how Tuam, County Galway was identified to participate in the STAR programme was developed by NTRIS 2017 – 2021; how this programme is funded; when this programme is due to finish; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53942/23]

Education Schemes

Seán Canney

73. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Education when the review of the HSCL programme is due to start; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53943/23]

Disadvantaged Status

Seán Canney

74. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Education if there will be any new schools added to the current DEIS scheme in summer 2024; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53944/23]

Disadvantaged Status

Seán Canney

75. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Education what provisions are in place for growing schools who are currently part of the DEIS scheme to access all the supports available to other schools in the DEIS programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53945/23]

Professional Qualifications

Seán Canney

134. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine why his farm advisory system refuses to recognise a soil science module from a Level 9 course as equivalent to a level 8 module as validated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53996/23]

Healthcare Policy

Seán Canney

162. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Health if he supports the calls of representative organisations and industry for a national diabetes policy to coordinate and direct diabetes policy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53948/23]

Legislative Process

Seán Canney

163. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Health the timeline for the enactment of the Health Information Bill 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53949/23]

Departmental Budgets

Seán Canney

164. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Health the proportion (in percentage terms) of the annual health budget spent on medical technology and devices, from 2019–2023, broken down per annum, in tabular form. [53950/23]

Redundancy Payments

Seán Canney

211. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment to outline the supports that are available to employees who are owed wages from their employer who has closed his business. [53209/23]

School Staff

Seán Canney

247. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Education what progress her Department has made regarding redeployment facilities for post-primary teachers, which are necessary to develop a system which allows for more teachers to be deployed to work in their local communities and fill roles which desperately need to be filled in different counties; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53443/23]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Seán Canney

506. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Health what resources are open to employees who were frontline workers and their employer received their bonuses, but the company is now closed and the employer did not pay over the money. [53233/23]

Medicinal Products

Seán Canney

516. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Health if there is a shortage of tyvense medication, which is used to treat conditions such as autism and ADHD; the measures his Department is taking to ensure an adequate supply of this vital medication; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53267/23]